Love the way you Lie
by Goddess of the Books
Summary: Max escaped from the school, and is staying with Iggy. She meets his friend Fang, and she hates him. But that hatred doesn't seem to be returned by him. In fact, it's almost as if he likes her, if you don't take into account the fact that his favorite past time seems to be making her mad. But when Iggy gets kiddnapped, Max and Fang must work together to get him back. Discontinued
1. Chapter 1

**This is my second Fanfic and I'm hoping that it will get more reviews. I own nothing but the idea for this story. –sniffle-**

**Love The Way You Lie**

**Escaping, Only To Return to Another**

I sprinted through the trees, running for my life. I didn't care about the numerous cuts I was getting, the only thing that mattered was escape. I run faster, further, but the Erasers are right behind me. Then Ari drops down from the trees, right in front of me. I crash into him and fall down. He points a gun at my forehead, I scream. He pulls the trigger.

I sit up, breathing heavy, covered in sweat. Not one of my more attractive moments, but oh well. I take in my surroundings; I'm in a small grey bedroom, wait how did I get here? Oh yeah, my memory returns, I escaped from the school and called my cousin, Iggy. I remember his number from the last time I escaped. He knows about my wings, and the Erasers that hunt me, and he invited me to stay with him. Personally I would have said leave me the heck alone if I were him, but thank GOODNESS I'm not.

I look around. The comforter that's currently on the floor is grey with hot pink polka-dots. Not really my style, but he said it was his little Cousin Angel's room, which explains the teddy bears and posters of rainbows and unicorns. Yeah, I'm taking those down, now. I get up and stretch, then slowly start taking them down. It takes awhile, but I'm happy because she framed them all. I don't know how, but Iggy managed to get a bunch of clothes my size, not my style but hey, I'm not going to complain.

I snag a grey Aeropostale t-shirt and some jeans and step into the bathroom to change. I change and manage to locate a hairbrush and an unused toothbrush. That's spectacular because now I resemble a human. I am not a morning person, not at all. I put my hair into a ponytail and walk into the kitchen and the most wonderful smell attracts my attention. That's right, bacon, the most wonderful food in the world. The only thing that's better than bacon is, oh my god. I spot a plate covered in fresh, chocolate chip cookies. I seriously must have died and gone to heaven or something because my two favorite foods are not only in the same place, but I can eat them both. This rocks, I officially adore Iggy.

"Morning Max. Just a head's up, a friend of mine is coming over later. He's the same age as you." Iggy hands me a plate filled with bacon, eggs and pancakes. I sit down and eat, delighted by the quality of the food. Iggy is younger than me by two years, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. And by the way he avoids people his own age, you'd swear they all had the plague. OK, maybe it's not that bad, but its close.

I clean my plate and stick it in the sink, and then I actually clean my plate. I'm not going to make a blind kid clean up after me! Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that Iggy's blind? I have no idea how he manages to do what he does.

The doorbell rings and Iggy opens it, and oh my. The guy that just entered the apartment is nothing short of extremely good looking. And that's putting it lightly. (Care to guess who this hot stranger is? If you said Fang you're right! Do you get a prize? Yes, FAX! Later) Dark hair, dark eyes, dark everything really, well, everything but his skin. But he makes dark look good. He's tall, and I'm willing to bet every cookie in this apartment he's got some nice abs. Just saying.

"What's up Iggy?" The dark stranger speaks. I watch him, wary. But honestly, after what I've been through, how could I not be? He looks at me. "And who's this?" Iggy closes the door and sits down in a plush black chair. That chair is so insanely comfortable! I speak from experience.

"Fang, meet my cousin Max, Max, meet Fang." Iggy points to us in turn, and I was tempted to move, just to mess with him. Fang looks at me, his gaze serious. "Nice to, um, meet you." MAX! Ugh, that's it? I furiously yell at my brain. Well, my brain yells at my brain really. Fang smirks at my rather obvious unease. "Problem?" Go me! He looks slightly taken aback.

"Max will be going to our school" Iggy did not just say school. Oh for the love of God! Could this get ANY worse? First some annoying guy shows up, and then I have to go to school? "She'll probably be in most of your classes." I spoke to soon. Now I have to go to school with FANG. This is going to suck, majorly. Oh well, welcome to my world.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Enjoy chapter one? I hope so!**

**Fang: Can we just get on with the story?**

**Me: GIVE ME A SECOND! I need to say the disclaimer!**

**Fang: ok, ok, geez.**

**Me: I do not own anything, enjoy chapter two!**

**Waiting For The End**

**Max P.O.V.**

_I spoke to soon. Now I have to go to school with FANG. This is going to suck, majorly. Oh well, welcome to my world. _Fang glances over at me, and I stick my tongue out at him. Childish you say? Oh yes, very. But effective none-the-less.

"Now now Max, no need to be so rude!" I have to hand it to him; he's got the whole mock offense thing down to a science. I roll my eyes. "When does school start?" My lack of enthusiasm was as evident as humanly possible, and I was proud of it. I HATE school. Mostly because I associate the word school with dog crates and needles, so I literally flinched when I said the word. Fang looked at me funny, but didn't say anything.

"School started in August." Iggy said it like I should know, well, school was year round for me pal. Did I really just say pal? I'm ashamed of myself, wait I didn't actually say it out loud. Ok, I feel better now. But, it's kind of September 10, so I MIGHT have missed the first day. Note the sarcasm, because I definitely missed the first day. Oh well, it's not like I care.

"Your first day will be tomorrow. You'll start as a sophomore in North Meck High School." Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, we happen to be in the rather boring state of North Carolina. If you live here, I pity you. No joke, I really do. It's like, you get there and it just sucks you in, nobody ever leaves!

"And it would be best if you start getting used to seeing Fang a lot, because he practically lives here." This day just keeps getting better and better. "Iggy, doesn't Fang have a house?" Fang laughs at that. "Oh, I have a house; they won't let me disown my siblings though. I have a sister named Monique who won't shut up. Everyone calls her Nudge, and I'm sure you'll meet her soon. She skipped a grade so you'll probably meet her tomorrow, because she's in our grade." Oh great, anything related to Fang must be annoying.

"So, since our little introductions are over, Fang and I have guy stuff to do, so go do something Max." Did Iggy seriously just say that? No way, Iggy's sweet! I blame Fang, from now on, I don't care if he was in Antarctica when it happened, everything's his fault.

"Let me guess, from the way the X-box over there looks so lovingly cared for, (not even a hint of sarcasm, that thing is spotlessly clean) 'guy things' most likely means an unholy amount of time spent on violent games." Iggy looks like he was just caught stealing a cookie, and Fang grins. Why is he grinning? He just got caught!

"I need caffeine" I mumble. I grab some sneakers and a jacket and leave the apartment. I run into the woods out back and take off the jacket, before cutting slits in the back of my shirt. If you think the slits are for air, then you are way off. I stretch out my wings, all fifteen feet of them. They are brown at the top, but the brown fades to speckles, and the speckles, to white. I leap into the air, gaining altitude with every powerful stroke of my wings.

Soon, I've left everything behind, my worries, my fears, and my thoughts. I'm free up here; I hover and let my hair down, putting the hair band on my wrist. I fly, letting the wind whip through my hair, and sing it's gently song. I fly higher and higher. Any normal person wouldn't be able to breath, but as you've probably figured out, I'm not exactly normal. I'm 98% human, but 2% avian, thanks to a lovely place called School. Screw the school, I'm free!

**Fang P.O.V.**

Max. She gets on my nerves, and few other people can. I don't like her, so why can't I stop thinking about her and her annoying little attitude? That's probably why, her attitude. She was completely my way or the high way, and that gets on my nerves.

"Yo Iggy, I have to go. I'm supposed to be home by three, my mom needs help."Iggy just nods, its two thirty, and I just lied. I leave Iggy's house. I used to hate lying to him, he just doesn't seem to figure out when I lie, but it's to protect him. I walk outside, and then start jogging into the woods. I come to a small clearing and take off my jacket. I spread out my wings through the slits I cut months ago. Just after I escaped the School.

The School, the very thought of that awful place sends shivers up my spine. The School massed up my life; in fact, because of them I have two giant black wings. My wingspan is close to seventeen feet across. I take a running start and leap into the air, jacket in hand. I fly up, reveling in the feeling of the wind on my face.

I've lied so many times. I have no family, just Nudge. She's not actually my sister; she's just another bird kid who escaped with me. And our house is really just an apartment like Iggy's. He's never seen it, and I never talk about any family other than my fake mom. Nudge and I are just trying to survive and escape the Erasers, while helping any other mutants we find. We found Zephyr, aka Gazzy to, but we managed to find him a home, along with a little girl named Angel. Turns out, they're now Iggy's adopted cousin.

I spot the apartment complex and land in the woods behind it. I put my jacket back on and go inside. I step into my apartment and see Nudge sprawled out on the couch, asleep. I pick her up and take her to her room. I lay her gently on her bed before closing her door and sitting on the couch myself and turning on the TV.

I don't think I can stand hanging out with Max that much… Why am I thinking about her? She's so annoying and not worth my time. I'm Fang; I don't ever waste my time thinking about a girl. I change the channel and see that the Mentalist is on. Good, a distraction.

**Max P.O.V.**

I land where I took off, grabbing my jacket and walking inside my new home. Fang's gone, that's the first thing I notice. And Iggy is playing some video game. I have absolutely no idea how, I mean, he's blind! And you sort of NEED your eyes to play video games. I'm over thinking that. It's close to five, so I head to the bathroom and shower, and snag an Evanescence t-shirt and some jean shorts. I love Evanescence, so I wear the shirt proudly.

That's when I realize that I need food, and I need it now. I walk into the kitchen and start raiding the pantry. I settle on some Mac and Cheese and heat it up in the microwave. I hear it beep and open the little glass door. I'm sixteen and I still love Mac and Cheese. Why? Because you are never too old for Mac and Cheese. I squeeze the little packet of cheese sauce into it and stir it. I inhale it, I was seriously starving.

One thing about being a bird kid, I'm always hungry. Also, I'm pretty light because my bones are hollow. Plus I have really good hearing and eyesight. If it weren't for the whole, hunted by predatory beasts thing I might consider saying that it was worth putting on your Christmas list.

I wash my bowl and head into my room. I'm exhausted, but flying paired with extreme aggravation over a certain annoying male will do that to you. I lie down and fall asleep, dreading waking up, because school is the only thing waiting.

**Review and I will not only update, I will make Fang give the person with the best overall review a shout-out! And by the best overall review, that doesn't mean the nicest, it means the review I thought someone really spent time on and considered.**

**Fang: Do I get a say in this?**

**Me: no, so review people! =3**


	3. Chapter 3

**My previous shout out offer still stands, and if you have followed or favorite this story, YOU ROCK! The happier I am, the more Fax there is, so if you like Fax, review!**

**Fang: I like Fax, do I get a say in this?**

**Me: I love you, but no. Say the disclaimer and I'll think about it though…**

**Fang: Deal. Goddess of the Books owns nothing but the ideas in this story.**

**Welcome To My Nightmare**

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

Ugh, what the heck? What's that noise?

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

It's getting louder, what on earth…

**BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. SMACK!**

Much better, I sit up. Oops, there went a rather cute little Mickey Mouse alarm clock. Oh well. Hmmm, I seem to be saying that a lot lately. Wait, why was there an alarm in the first place? Oh crap, school. I had nearly forgotten that delightful little piece of my wonderful little life. If you didn't realize that was sarcasm, I'm genuinely concerned for you. Honestly, I am.

I stretch and get up. Wow, I really need to not sleep in that outfit ever again; jean shorts are not comfortably to sleep in, not at all, ever. I snag a v-neck black shirt and a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee. The whole v-neck thing is really not my style, but beggars can't be choosers, and I'm most definitely a beggar right now. I walk into my bathroom and get dressed.

After I brush my teeth and hair I throw my hair into a messy bun. Not a very good first impression on my first day of school, but since when have I ever cared? Oh, that's right, never. I walk into the kitchen and find the mother of all pancakes. The thing's enormous! I'm talking an inch thick and a solid foot in diameter. It was just sitting innocently on a plate, covered in butter and syrup, when Hurricane Max hit it.

"So Max, I take it you like the pancake." I hadn't even heard Iggy walk in. You know, it suddenly hit's me that he lived alone before I got here. "Iggy, where are your parents?" He freezes, obviously having been caught off guard. Heck, I would have been caught off guard as well.

"Maxie," Uh oh, he only calls me that when he has something to confess. Last time he confessed to blowing up a car. Then he does something I don't expect, he takes his shirt off. About the time I open my mouth to protest, he opens up his wings. "Oh (insert word that starts with 'sh' and ends with 'it') Iggy." Yep, that's me and my bad mouth.

"Wait, so, you're from the school to? And, you knew about my wings, but wouldn't tell me about yours?" I rub my head in frustration. Yep, I already feel my headache starting, and that's not how I wanted this day to start. We hear a knock on the door and now it's his turn to say the foul word. He closes his wings and pulls his shirt back on.

And guess who decides to show his face, Fang. He opens the door and walks in, completely uninvited. I guess he thinks that he can just do whatever he wants. He looks at the two of us, his expression amused. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Ugh, that just ticks me off. "Only a nice little heart to heart cousin chat." He rolls his eyes. "So, no, I didn't interrupt anything." My eyes narrow.

"Watch it there Squint, it would be a shame for such a pretty face to get stuck like that." He sneers, and just as I'm about to launch a verbal assault, Iggy decides to intervene. "If you two would stop arguing for one second you would realize that if we don't get a move on, we're going to be late for school." As much as I hate to admit it, Iggy has a pretty valid point. "And Max, Fang is our ride to school." Someone out there has a very peculiar sense of humor, because to me, that's not funny.

**Fang P.O.V.**

Max shoots me a, you-would-be toast-if-Iggy-wasn't-here look, and I can't help but chuckle, which only makes her angrier. Ah, the sweet moment of victory, tainted only by a death glare. We all walk out to my car. In case you're wondering, I have a very nice car that I jacked off of some guy in Ohio.

Why did I drive here? I couldn't stand to part with such a nice car. A black mustang with white racing stripes, tinted windows and wings just above the license plate, how can I turn that down? Not to mention the horsepower and just general Fangness of the car.

Max shot me another glare before climbing into the backseat of the car. Iggy rides shotgun, and Max finally meet Nudge.

"Hi! You must be Max! I'm Monique, but everyone calls me Nudge. So, how do you know Iggy? Are you guy's related or something? Ooh, I really hope we have some classes together! But really, did you let Iggy do your hair or something? You should let me fix it! But I like the shirt, although I think it should be brighter." "NUDGE! SHUT UP!" Iggy surprised me a little there; he's normally so sweet and gentle when it comes to Nudge.

Nudge instantly silences, and I find myself grateful. I can see Max in the mirror, and she looks sympathetic, uh oh. "You know Nudge, if you really want, you can fix my hair, I really don't care." Nudge instantly goes from pout to full out excitement. She grabs a hairbrush from her backpack and instantly goes to work on Max's hair. Well, at least she's quiet.

We arrive at the school a few minutes later and I park the car. Iggy get out and grab our backpacks. He moves the seat forwards, allowing Max and Nudge to get out. Nudge gets out first, looking content, her bright backpack practically blinding me. Then Max get's out. Wow, she looks, really good.

Nudge apparently coaxed her into letting her apply some makeup as well. Her hair is in a French twist, and Nudge managed to put a few glittery little clips in Max's hair. She's also got mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss, and the only reason I know what any of that is because Nudge never shuts up about it. Max looks very feminine, and, well, beautiful. She also looks very unhappy.

"What do you think?" Nudge is ecstatic and practically bouncing up and down with joy. I raise an eyebrow, earning me a death stare from a very angry Max. I smirk, and she grabs her bag and storms off. She gets about ten feet before she realizes that she has no idea where she's going, and has to stop and wait for us. That's when Iggy busts out laughing, Nudge having told him exactly what she looked like.

I play it cool, and keep a bored expression on my face. Not wanting Max to know what I think of her. And from the look on her face, I'm pretty sure that it's a onetime deal. No, I'm positive.

**Max P.O.V.**

I look girly. And I hate girly. Iggy knows this, and he's about to fall over because he's laughing so hard. He's clutching his side, and trying to explain to Nudge why he's laughing, because at this point, she's convinced he's laughing at her little stunt with my face.

Next time, I'm not letting Nudge talk me into makeup, I hate the stuff anyways, and now this. She looked so sad though, and I felt bad. I shoot Fang a glare, but he seems to not notice. In fact, he looks bored. Well, that's better than laughing.

We go to the front office and speak to an elderly lady who looks like she ought to be considering retirement. I get my schedule, and it matches Fang's almost perfectly. Oh great, that's just what I needed, another couple of hours a day with him. We go to our first class, science, and Nudge and Fang are both in it. I sit on the exact opposite side of the room from Fang, no surprise.

A plump lady who looks oddly like Delores Umbridge from the fifth Harry Potter book walks into the room. The only difference is she's taller, younger and not obsessed with cats, but allergic to them. "Good morning class!) Her voice is way to cheerful.

"Today, I'm going to be assigning you partners for the upcoming project." I glance back at Fang, only to see a horde of girls crowding around him. But he looks, aggravated by them. Huh, that's new. I expected to see him flirting with every girl, but he seems to want them to leave him alone.

"Nick Walker and Maximum Ride, please stand." I hear a collective "awww" from the girls, and wonder who this, Nick Walker is. I stand up, and that's when I see Fang stand up to. Oh great. "Your topic is in chapter six in your books, astronomy. You get to study stars and constellations, an exciting subject if I do say so myself." I sink back down into my chair, horror rapidly taking over.

"Abigail Laurence and Blake West" I zone out, completely mortified. I have to work with him? No way, this has to be some kind of nightmare. She hands each pair a paper, with detailed instructions of our assignments. We have to stargaze, and draw at least six constellations, then write a brief summary of their history, including why they were named what they are, who founded them, and the story associated with it. The big dipper and little dipper didn't count.

I'd tell you more about my day, but I think you get the gist of how it went. Nick Walker and Maximum Ride. The words echoed through my skull for the whole day. One small plus is my new friend Ella. She's pretty cool, and she introduced me to her friends Laila, Sam, Alex and Jackson. So at least I'm not completely alone at my new school.

**Time Skip**

I walk solemnly to Fang's car. Iggy's already there, and so is Nudge, but Fang is nowhere to be seen. "Long day?" Iggy sounds sympathetic, but I'm not big on sympathy. Right now, I just want to go home. "You have no idea."

Fang walks up, with six girls following him. They smile and wave at him, shoot a glare at me, and wander off. Hopeless, mindless, disgusting creatures. He sighs and unlocks the car, and we all get in. The drive home is mercifully silent, and I couldn't be more thankful. I already had a raging headache. We pull up to Iggy and my apartment building, and we get out. Fang hands me a slip of paper with his number on it, before smirking.

"Don't get your hopes up Ride, it's so we can work on the project." I roll my eyes and scowl before walking away. I hate him. I really, honestly hate him. Not as much as I hated the whitecoats and the School, but I don't think it's possible to hate anything that's not entirely evil that much. But when it comes to Fang, I could be mistaken. You never know.

I walk into the apartment and crash on my bed, Iggy's making food, and I'm hungry, but I really just don't want to get up right now. I sigh as my stomach growls in protest to my laziness. I get up sluggishly, and lug myself into the kitchen before plopping down onto a stool. He hands me a burrito and I take it to my room, savoring every bite of the delicious food. It sates my appetite for now.

Another thought enters my mind, homework. Sadly, I do have homework, which is really a shame because I would love to just go to sleep and not worry about anything until much, much later. Oh well. Huh, I said it again.

**You likey? You no likey? Tell me in a review! And, I know you like Fax, but how do you feel about Niggy? Because chances are, there will probably be some later. MWAHAHA!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much for the reviews! This chapter will be longer, I promise!**

**Fang: A big shout out to Fallingstars97 and GigglesandBooks, you guys rock.**

**Me: Thanks Fang, now will you say the disclaimer?**

**Fang: What's the magic word?**

**Me: Fax**

**Fang: Not what I was going for, but that works to. Goddess of the Books does not own anything.**

**Me: I'm not going to write much of their during school time, because I'm not in high-school and have no idea what it's really like, and the plot doesn't need it. Enjoy!**

**Written In The Stars**

**Max P.O.V.**

The week flew by, and now it's Friday. The day I've been dreading. Today's the day that Fang and I are going star gazing for our astronomy project. It's really kind of funny how time flies when you're enjoying yourself and having fun, or when you just don't want it to. Either way, I hate how time works. It's just not fair. But hey, life's not fair. I learned that long ago.

I hear the final bell, oh great, school's over. Now I get to go spend some quality time with the one person I'd least like to spend said time with. I grab my bag and start heading towards the school parking lot. I see Fang, but Iggy and Nudge are nowhere to be seen.

"Where are Iggy and Nudge?" It's weird that they aren't here yet, they're normally the first ones here. "Nudge is spending the night at her friend's house and is catching a rode home with her. And Iggy is already in the car Einstein." You know, Einstein was a brilliant man, yet calling someone Einstein is an insult. I don't quite understand that. We seriously do not give that man enough credit.

"It's nice to know that you appreciate my intelligence." Ok, I could have done better, but I just knew that little comment would bug him, and I was right. I love being right. "And I bet that me calling you Sherlock qualifies you as a detective." Ooh, did not see that one coming. "Yep, how'd you know?" Me and my quick wit, a shame that I didn't get a chance to injure his pride though. He just rolls his eyes and gets in the car. I get in and he starts the car.

"So Max, about your date with Fang tonight." Iggy did not just say that, I watch as Fang's knuckles turn white. "It's not a date Iggy; even a blind guy could see we hate each other." Oh, crap, Iggy's blind. As I'm about to apologize, I hear Fang begin a verbal war.

"Real smooth Max, I can tell you think before you open your mouth." His voice is dripping with sarcasm. Ouch, that one stung, but am I going to let Fang know that? Yep, the day pigs fly, well, maybe I shouldn't say that, I mean, look at me. "And you're real thoughtful?" The venom in my voice is unmistakable.

"Yeah, I am. If I insult someone I do it intentionally because I don't just say the first thing that pops into my brain. Although, since your brain is so small I bet it's hard to think of more than one sentence at a time."

"You're one to talk. You've got an awfully large head for such a small brain, but I guess it's just full of your ego. I'm not sure how you have so much ego, oh, I know now. You aren't smart enough to know what ego means so you made up your own definition so you could have more of it."

I'm pretty sure our verbal battle would have continued on, but Iggy intervened again. "Ah, lovers spats these days are so entertaining." There he goes again! I swear, Iggy's going to end up severely injured one of these days. After a few sarcastic remarks and some insults we were at the apartment. Iggy and I get out of the car and Fang drives off. Iggy starts walking inside.

"Iggy, you dug a darn deep hole, and if I were you, I'd start filling it. Start with the wings." He stops in his tracks and rounds on me. "Do you want everyone to hear?" He hisses. I grab his arm and lead him out to a clearing in the woods.

"Start talking, now." I surprise myself with the coldness of my voice, but no way am I letting up on him.

"You really want to know? Fine, I grew up in the school, same as you. The only difference was I was freed by a kid my age named Ari. We were six, and he was an Eraser. He got me out, but went back to help other mutants like me escape. He said there were six of us, and that he would send them all here, and cover our tracks."

"Wait, an Eraser helped you? I was saved by a whitecoat named Jeb Batchelder. He said his son was turned into an Eraser against Jeb's will." Then it hit me, Ari is his son. "Ari was Jeb's son, wasn't he?" Iggy nods.

"Anyways, I got here, and then Jeb freed you and sent you to me, telling you that I was your cousin, even though I'm not. Then he sent Gazzy and Angel, but they don't know that I know, and then he sent the final two, but I don't know who they are. He said that they are a boy and a girl close to our age, and that they are looking for me as well."

Wow, that's a lot to take in. So, I'm really one of six bird kids and I really ought to be looking for the other two that Iggy didn't find. Great, well, at least I know that they are in the region. I could have already met them, to be perfectly honest. Wow, again.

**Fang P.O.V.**

I'm not exactly exited about tonight, but I'm not dreading it either. I enjoy the verbal sparring that Max and I do. She's fun to make angry, but, her bad side is atrocious. She's as sarcastic and snide as it gets, but I can't honestly say that I'm not. When she insults me, it's sarcastic and cutting, but when I insult her it's witty and snide.

But beneath every barbed word and every cutting remark, there's a tiny sting to me. It's almost as if I care how she feels. But I don't. Of course I don't. I'm Fang, if I insult someone it's because I despise them, because if I just don't like people I ignore them. That's just the way I work. But why can't I just insult Max like I do everyone else? Why do I keep on thinking about it later?

Maybe I'm over thinking this, yep, that's it. If you convince yourself that something you do is strange, that doesn't mean it really is, it just means you noticed that particular action more. But why do I notice it more? It's just Max, yet I find myself fighting to say the word 'just' in the same sentence as Max.

I need to fly. Flying always helps me clear my head. I change into a black shirt with slits in the back and walk outside. I run a good distance into the woods out back and leap into the air, reveling in the feeling of the wind in my shaggy black hair. That's always been my trademark. The olive skin and dark eyes set the mood, but the hair is what completes the look.

I can image the mass outrage from the girls if I cut my hair. They all adore it, and it's beyond my realm of reasoning as to why. I guess it's just a girl thing, but it's an annoying girl thing. They are always trying to touch my hair, and I have sent so many of them away in tears it's a wonder they don't all hate me. Although honestly, I would prefer it that way.

I hover and check my cell phone. Oh crap, its 7:45 and I'm supposed to meet Max at the field at 8. That is not good, not at all. I put my phone away and zip through the sky, rocketing past unsuspecting birds at breakneck speeds. I'm going to be late, I see the field, I land nearby and walk out into the middle of it, where Max is waiting.

**Max P.O.V.**

I arrive at 8:00 and sit down, waiting for Fang to get here. I can't think of him as Nick, it just doesn't seem right. He'll never be Nick Walker to me, just Fang. The Royal Pain-in-the-Butt. Then I see him. He's wearing a thin black shirt and a black jacket, though I don't know why, it's pretty warm. Well, I can't be talking because I'm wearing a jacket too.

"How did you get here?" He just walked out of the woods, no car, just him. "How did you get here?" "Touché." I'll give him that one, but only because I can't tell him how I got here. I flew, and that's not exactly a conversation I want to have with him.

"We have about 30 minutes before the sun sets, Max." I look over at him, there's no malice, no sarcasm, no venom, just an honest statement. This might be bearable. "And what do you suppose we do to pass the time?" As soon as the words leave my mouth I know I'm going to regret them.

"Hmm, we are two bored teens, alone in a field, that doesn't leave us many options…" Wow, that's not what I expected to hear him say. Not at all, that is, until he winks at me. Oh gosh, I should have known. "I prefer not to spend the rest of my life scarred and vomiting thank you very much." He laughs, and for some reason I find myself laughing too.

"You know Max, you never said where you're from. You pretty much just showed up one day." Oh crap, uh, think Max! "Oh, um, right. I came here from New York. My parents abandoned me when I was little, so I grew up in an orphanage. They were cruel and abusive there, so I did some digging awhile back, and found out about my cousin Iggy. He said I could stay here with him, and here we are." That was the cover story I had decided on. Disbelief was etched onto his face. "What about you?"

"I'm from California. My mom moved here because of her work last year." California, that explains a lot. There's a brief flicker of unease on his face, but it's gone almost instantly. "So Max, how do you like North Carolina?" Oh yay, an easy question. "It's great, much warmer than New York." I smile slightly, and when he returns it I feel little butterflies in my stomach.

"You know, you don't really have a New York accent." "I lived on the outskirts, not all that many people had a heavy accent, and none of the people who worked in the orphanage did. I can use the accent if you really want me to though." I smile mischievously, and he laughs. Return of the butterflies, it doesn't sound menacing, but oh boy is it.

The sun starts to set and we get out some paper, books, a clipboard and a pencil. We chat idly about stars and space, and I'm mildly surprised at how much he knows about it. We throw in the occasional jibe, but it's good natured and we end up laughing. This isn't what I expected, its, nice. Huh, who would have thought that I'd be spending my Friday night laying under the stars with Fang?

"Well well well. Looks like we got two birds with one stone, eh boys." We turn to see about six Erasers walk out, Ari in the lead. "Ari, what have they done to you?" Ari laughs; it's a cold, harsh sound. My worst nightmare's finally real; the sweet kid finally became a monster. "They made me stronger, now, my dad finally notices me! But then he just sends me after you. You, you were always his favorite." The statement ends in a growl. He morphs.

"Fang, run, they're after me." I take off my jacket, and feel him grab my wrist. "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing." I notice that his jacket's gone. I snap my wings open, and watch as Fang does the same. His wings are slightly larger than mine, and jet black. I stare at his wings, and then hear Ari barking orders to the other Erasers.

That pulls me out of my little trance. I run towards the Erasers and then leap into the air, Fang hot on my heels. We fly clear over their heads, and then they start shooting. We're flying fast, and I'm pretty sure we're safe. We're a solid ways away from them when I feel a searing pain in my side. I cry out, and Fang is at my side in an instant, out wingtips brushing as he gets s close as our wings allow.

"Where are you hit?" I hear him yell above the roar of the wind whipping past. "My side." I manage to choke out. The pain is intense. He takes the lead and I follow him back to an apartment complex. We land just outside it and my legs give out under me. I choke back a scream as waves of dizzying pain wash over me.

He picks me up and carries me inside; we get into his apartment without attracting much attention. He lays me on a couch and examines the wound. "Max, how bad is it? If a hospital trip can be avoided that would be great. I understand why not, buy I'm really not in the mood for polite answers. I grit my teeth, fighting the nausea that threatens to overcome me.

"Oh, it's just great Fang, thanks for asking!" The sarcasm in my voice is evident, and I close my eyes and grit my teeth to keep from crying out in pain. He grabs a phone and calls 911. He explains where we are and what the situation is, leaving out a few details. He then calls Nudge, telling her to get her butt over here.

He puts his phone back in his pocket and gently picks me up. I cry out as he brushes my side. He carries me outside and I see Nudge running towards me. It's obvious she flew here; I watch her put on a jacket to hide her wings, and hope that nobody saw. An ambulance pulls into the parking lot, and they get a stretcher. Fang lays me on the stretcher.

They get me in the ambulance and close the door on Fang, despite my cries of protest. I fight to get free as they strap me down, but they give me a sedative, and I feel my eyelids grow heavy. My last thought is of Fang, and how I wish he could be here with me, but then my consciousness seeps away, only to be replaced by blackness.

**Fang P.O.V.**

They slam the door in my face and drive off. I snap my wings out and leap into the air, Nudge following me. We gain altitude and I soar directly over the ambulance, not taking my eyes off it for a second. I need Max to be ok, I can't think of a world without her sarcasm, her laughter, her smile. I shake these thoughts away, she'll be fine, she has to be.

We get to the hospital and I land outside it. Nudge puts her jacket back on and hands me one. We go inside and the nurse tells me that she's in urgent care. She tells me to sit in the waiting room and that someone will tell me when I can see her.

Nudge and I sit silently. The minutes slip by, and then minutes become hours. Nudge is asleep, her head resting on my shoulder when a nurse walks in. She motions for me to follow her. I wake up Nudge and we stand up. Nudge yawns and stretches, then we follow the nurse into a small room. Max is awake, but obviously drugged.

She smiles when she sees us, and my heart soars. "Fang, Nudge, I'm happy you're here. There were all these people in white coats." She shivers involuntarily and I find myself wanting to comfort her. "It's good to see you're still in the realm of the living." She grins at that. I knew she'd be ok, she's tough as nails, one bullet isn't going to stop Maximum Ride. I see Nudge eyeing the two of us, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes, knowing I'm going to get some crap about this later.

Max yawns and her eyes drift shut, the nurse walks in. "Max needs her rest, but you all are welcome to come back in the morning. The nurse leaves the room, and Nudge follows her out. I walk over to Max; she looks so peaceful when she sleeps, even though she's drugged and pale. I kiss her forehead before leaving the room, wishing more than anything that I could stay.

**Max P.O.V.**

I open my eyes. How long has it been? And, more importantly, what am I wearing? I realize it's a hospital gown, and everything comes rushing back. I throw back the sheets on my bed and sit up. There's a dull ache in my side, and I pull up the gown to examine it. There's a scab, but it doesn't look too bad. I pull an IV tube out of my arm and pull the IV over. I use it to help me stand, and spot my clothes lying freshly cleaned and washed in a neat pile on a little table in the corner.

I walk over to them and change, then look at the window. Notice how I said at and not out. It opens. I grin and pop the latch just as a nurse opens the door, carrying a tray of food. I open the window. "What do you think you're doing?" Her voice is high and annoying. "Get back in bed! You shouldn't be standing!" I hop up onto the window sill and watch as her face turns red. She puts the food down and storms over to me.

"You get back in here right now or I'll call security on you!" Wow, she really aggravates me. Any other time I would have just left, but she was just too irritating. I call her a rude word and give her the finger before leaping out of the window and snapping out my wings. I fly off, watching her gawk at my receding figure. I laugh and revel in the feeling of the wind in my hair as I fly to Fangs apartment.

I land nearby and jog up; I walk up to his apartment and knock on the door. He opens the door and blinks in surprise before wrapping me in a tight hug. My arms fly around him and everything just feels, right. "Awww!" Fang lets me go and we turn to face Nudge. She gives me a bear hug and I grin. Everything is as it should be, but, wait. "Where's Iggy?"

A few minutes later we're flying full speed to my apartment. We get there and see the door has been mutilated. "Oh no." We run into the apartment and see that it's been trashed. Iggy's gone, and we all know what happened, even if we don't say it. The Erasers got him. I feel hot tears that threaten to fall.

"No, Iggy!" I run through the tiny apartment, refusing to accept what happened. No, they can't have taken Iggy! It's just not possible! "Max, he's gone." I hear Fang, and see him standing in the doorway. Anger surges through me. "THEY TOOK HIM! HE SAVED US ALL AND THEY TOOK HIM BACK!" I cry then, for the first time since I left the first time.

"Those bastards took him." Fang hugs me while Nudge looks around the apartment for any sign of Iggy. I cry into his shoulder, soaking his shirt. "Max, we'll get him back, I swear." I look up at him. "Fang, what if we don't?" He hugs me tighter.

"Max, we will get him back no matter where they take him and no matter what they do. We WILL rescue Iggy. And we'll send as many of the whitecoats to Hell as we can in the process." He looks down at me, grim determination on his face. I nod and wipe my tears. Time for school to be out, permanently.

**So, watcha think? I don't normally swear and that's probably the only time you'll see the actual word, but I think that's what they would say in that situation.**

**Fang: Oh, I'd say a lot worse than that.**

**Me: Shut up and go make out with Max or something!**

**Fang: If you say so boss.**

**Me: Really Fang? Really? –face palms- I swear, mutant bird kids these days!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Me: Fang, disclaimer please**

**Fang: What do I get?**

**Me: You'll love it, I promise**

**Fang: Goddess of the Books owns nothing but her ideas.**

**Me: You know, if you all like this story, please review it, because if two more people alert this story, then it will have more alerts then reviews, and that's just sad! So please, for the love of chocolate chip cookies and bacon, please review! Also, xXxScars Still ShowxXx, I fully intend to slow it down a bit.**

**Fang: Are you done yet?**

**Me: Yep**

**Define, Legal**

**Max P.O.V.**

_He looks down at me, grim determination on his face. I nod and wipe my tears. Time for school to be out, permanently. _I step away from Fang; I can't get close to him, not if I could lose him too. Nudge walks slowly into the room, tears falling freely. She looks dazed, and she looks up at me, the sadness in her eyes overwhelming. I rush over to her and sweep her into a tight hug.

"Nudge, we're going to get him back." The pain in her eyes reminded me so much of my own, but I couldn't show my own, because then she would have nothing to believe in. There was more than just pain there, she cared about him, she liked him, maybe even loved him. _Like you care about Fang?_ NO! I shove the thought away forcefully.

"Promise me Max; promise me we will save him." I nod once, and she wipes away her tears. I'm proud of her; she's strong, stronger than I would be if I lost Fang. NO! I'm not going there right now, not now, maybe not ever. I'm a mutant freak, I'm not meant to have a happy, carefree life. Right then, I hear a scream.

I turn around and see a terrified woman and two kids. They are obviously related. The little girl has big blue eyes and curly blonde hair; she looks to be about eight. Her eyes are wide and she looks nothing short of angelic. The little boy looks intrigued by the situation. He too has blonde hair and blue eyes and looks about ten. He looks around and takes in the three of us. The mother faints. What a wimp, I really, really hate wimps.

"Do you hate me then?" The little girl asks, looking straight at me. Her voice is so sweet, it matches her appearance perfectly, but I'm disturbed by the fact that she seemed to know what I was thinking.

"Where's Iggy? We were coming to visit; we even gave him a heads up. Did he set off another bomb?" The little boy studies the room, intelligence sparkling in his eyes. "Angel, Gazzy, the Erasers took Iggy back to the school." Horror mars their young faces, and their panic becomes evident. "What do you mean? They can't have taken Iggy! They, they just can't! No!" The boy says, his pain evident in every word. Tears spring into their eyes, and they look mortified.

"We have to get him back!" The girl is not as soft as I had initially thought. Her face is tear streaked, but her voice does not waiver. She looks over at me. "Who are you, how do you know Iggy?" Her question surprises me, I'm about to speak, but Fang speaks first. "Angel, Gazzy, this is Max. She's like us." Angel looks at him curiously, but says nothing.

"We are going to get Iggy back, I promise you." Just then, the mother stirs. She sits up, and takes in the wreckage around us, her eyes widening. "The-the-the, what happened here?" Her voice aggravates me; it's so high and scared. That's going to get old quick, really quick. "Angel, Zephyr, who are these people?" Fang rolls his eyes and Angel pouts at him.

"Mother, these are the people we told you about, the people who found Zephyr and I." Understanding dawns on the woman. "Where's Iggy?" Oh crap, no way can I tell her the truth. I need her unconscious, and quickly. I snap open my wings and lower my head, looking at her from the tops of my eyes. I smile darkly and she faints. I stifle a giggle and close my wings and stand up straight. I love being a mutant bird kid sometimes.

"We need to go after him now, the sooner we leave, the less time he spends at the School." Nudge's voice is hard and angry, so unlike the sweet girl she was mere minutes ago. Fang stands silently, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Angel and I can't go with you, but we can still help. Give me twenty minutes." Gazzy runs off and comes back with a bunch of materials, and starts mixing them. I'd tell you more, but I really don't want a bunch of homemade bombs in you guy's homes.

I must admit, the kid impresses me. In twenty minutes he has made enough bombs to blow up at least three fair sized buildings. I put them all in their own little bag, and Nudge, Fang and I split them up between the three of us.

"I want to help save Iggy!" Angel says, distraught. Gazzy grabs her hand and shakes his head. "Angel, you know why we can't." She nods sadly at his words. Then she does something that surprises me, she hugs Fang. "Fang, go get him back." Fang nods and Nudge, Fang and I leave the apartment.

"I guess it's time to pay Itex another visit. This one will be much less pleasant for them though." Fang's voice has a steely edge. Nudge nods and I take a deep breath. "Well, at least it's in California. It could be in some totally dismal state." Though I meant for the words to be light and happy, they came out rather dull. We snap out our wings and leap into the sky. This would be an interesting trip, no doubt.

Well, it wasn't exactly morning when we left, so our flying time was cut short. We land in a Cliffside cave that overlooks a small city. I believe that we are now somewhere in Tennessee, but I could be mistaken. We open up some of the food we packed and munch on beef jerky and a few pieces of fruit. Sadly, this is the only day we'll have fruit because we don't want it going bad.

"Why aren't we down there in a house eating? It's Saturday, so somebody is going to be out and about, and not at home." Nudge says it like it's the easiest thing in the world. "Because that's considered breaking and entering in all fifty states." My tone is even, but Nudge doesn't back down an inch.

"And? It's not like we're going to destroy the house or burn it or take any valuables! We are just spending the night indoors instead of in a cave." She has a point, and right now, I'm not all that concerned with crime. Within minutes we are scouting out some neighborhoods. We find a vacant house, but it has an alarm system, Nudge grins. She walks up to the door after we make sure nobodies watching, and she picks the lock, and then gets to work on the alarm. After about five minutes she has it disabled.

"Where did you learn that?" Fang took the words right out of my mouth. She just grins. "Iggy taught me." That is one of the shortest I've ever heard her say. No joke. We open the door, and no alarms sound, wow, go Nudge! It's a two story house with very nice view of some woods and a small lake. Very nice in my opinion. We head straight to the kitchen. We end up eating hot dogs, bacon, some small assorted vegetables and some cookies. Dinner of champions I tell you!

We head upstairs and find three bedrooms, and two master baths. And get this; one of them is full of hair supplies, including dyes. "This could help throw the Erasers off our trail, they are looking for us, but if we don't look like us…" I let the sentence hang in the air. They get the point. Fang automatically looks horrified. "No way. I am not dying my hair." His voice is serious and brooks no argument. I nod, and Nudge and I get to work.

After a few minutes of work, our hair is completely different. My hair is dark brown with a streak of crimson near my face on the right side. Nudge's hair though, now that's a complete change. Her hair is dirty blonde with pink streaks, and let me tell you, it looks a bit odd. We wash our hair then, and cut it. My hair is always long, that's just how it is. But after Nudge is done with it, it's barely shoulder length. She also did some side bangs that I just know will drive me insane. But I look different, and different is good.

After our hair is taken care of we pillage the closets, and manage to find some new clothes that fit ok. Dark colors and average, nondescript clothes. Perfect in my opinion, but not to fashionista Nudge. To her it's a fashion disaster and a complete nightmare, and as per usual, she won't shut up. I step into the nearest bedroom and close the door, and guess who I find? Fang. Of course I find Fang in here. And for all you perverts out there, he's fully clothed.

As I'm about to leave, he stops me. "Max, wait." I freeze, consumed by relief and fear, each battling the other. I slowly turn to face him, and he stands up, having been sitting on a simple grey twin bed. "Why are you avoiding me?" I hesitate and step closer to him. "I'm not avoiding you." I sound uncertain, even to me. He looks aggravated, uh oh.

"Max! You've been avoiding me ever since we left the apartment! You won't talk to me, heck; you won't even look at me! Do you hate me that much?" The anger in his voice fades, only to be replaced by something resembling pain. Does he, actually care about me? Do I care about him? I know the answer to the latter of the two is yes, no matter how much I deny it. I don't want to hurt him. That's the last thing I want.

"Fang, I don't hate you. It's the opposite in fact, but every person I care about is snatched from me, and I don't want to lose you as well!" The words surprise me, but Fang looks calm. "Max, I will never let anything come between us. I realized the night of the astronomy project that you matter to me. And I know now I won't ever be able to just walk away without someone dragging me. Max, I care about you." I know my eyes are wide. I wait for someone to wake me up, this has to be a dream, reality is too cruel for this to be real.

That's when I realize how close we are. We're just inches apart. He's taller than me, and I look up, staring into his eyes. He steps closer so that we're almost touching. I can't breathe; my brain screams at me to push him away, it tells me that he's going to get hurt. He leans towards me slowly, giving me time to run, time to get away. With every inch, my brain screams louder, but my heart just gives my mind the finger. He brings a hand up to cup my face, and I lean towards him, my eyes drift shut.

Our lips touch, and I'm lost. My first kiss and it's by far the best I could ever hope for. I feel his other hand on my shoulder. I put my hands in his hair, tangling them in the shaggy black hair that only looks good on Fang. He tilts his head, and his hands snake around me and rest on my back, pulling me ever closer until our bodies touch. The passion in that kiss enough to fry my brain, and I'm not thinking, just reacting.

Oh my gosh, I'm kissing Fang. We end the kiss, and I giggle. Yes, I know, giggling is so girly, but the mighty Max giggled. Well, I guess Fang is giggle worthy, but that's not a bad thing…

**Fang P.O.V.**

I don't know what I'm doing. I mean, I know what I'm doing, I just can't figure out how. One moment I'm standing there, expecting her to hit me or push me away, and the next, we're kissing. I've kissed girls before, but this, this kiss was different.

She wasn't kissing Nick Walker, the strong and silent, egomaniac, smart, hot and sarcastic guy, Fang. She was kissing me. The one nobody sees, the leader. The one who bites the bullet and takes the blows without flinching, knowing that if he doesn't, someone he cares about will get hurt. The one who feels every blow, but accepts them, because he can't let anyone he cares about take them for him. The one who needs something to hold onto, but can never find anything to grab. But now, I have Max.

It's like in that instant; I didn't feel the pain that's always there, because it just wasn't. Max took the constant pain of my failure, and made the bleeding stop. She's the only one that has ever been able to do that, and she's the only one that ever will. But she needs someone to lean on to, and I don't know if I'm strong enough. I can only hope and pray that I am.

"MAXIE! Are you in there?" Nudge, of course it's Nudge. Max smiles at me slightly, and fixes her hair before opening the door and leaving my room, only to be bombarded by the Nudge Channel. That's what we call Nudge. The Nudge Channel, all Nudge, all the time. I lie down on my bed and stare up at the ceiling, knowing I won't be able to sleep. Well, we all make mistakes. The second my head hit the pillow I was out like a light.

**I'm so sorry it took so long to update! I tried my hardest, but I was mega busy! School is starting soon and softball started today, so I won't be able to update any more than twice a week most likely. Maybe three. But many thanks to my wonderful readers! You guys rock! Also, if you haven't checked out any of GigglesandBooks stories, I highly recommend them, they are awesome! Well, that's all for now, chao!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! I would like to give a shout out to JesusFreak. Thank you so much! I could not have done this without you! Well, enjoy this chapter! Not much Fax, but there's some intense violence.**

**Fang: Goddess of the Books owns nothing**

**Me: I didn't even have to ask that time! IT'S A MIRACLE! :D**

**Fang: Shut up**

**Me: -scowl- One step forwards and two steps back, we're not getting anywhere!**

**Fang: -smirk- Nope**

**Me: Never mind, warning, this chapter gets pretty intense and graphically violent. Enjoy!**

**Wanted, Preferably Alive**

**Max P.O.V.**

"Max, Max, Max, Max!" There's someone whispering my name, right next to me, at some unholy time of morning… I don't like this wakeup call very much. "Wha-" That's as far as I get before someone slaps a hand over my mouth. That wakes me up; I sit up, and see Nudge.

"Shut up Max!" Her voice is a quiet hiss. "Our generous friends who let us borrow their house are home…" Oh crap, that's not good at all. I get out of bed quickly and quietly, and then hear some unpleasant words from downstairs. We need to leave, now!

"Where's Fang?" Thoughts of the previous nights kiss swirl through my head, but I push them away. Those are thoughts for another time, right now, we have to bolt. Nudge motions to the door, and we leave my room, heading towards his quickly. We open the door, and find him standing by the window. He opens it, and motions for us to follow him. It's like he was expecting us, how the heck does he do that?

He kicks the screen out and jumps, snapping out his wings and gliding down onto the grass in the back yard. Nudge jumps to, then I remember, the backpacks! We left them in our rooms! I grab Fang's, then as quietly as I can run into Nudge's room and grab hers. I run into my room, but I hear footsteps, they're coming up the stairs. I race into the room and grab the backpack. I run to the window, and hear the sound of a shotgun being cocked. Any noise a gun makes is scary when directed at you, but that particular sound is probably the worst.

"Turn around real slow stranger." I turn, terror and adrenaline beginning to pump its way through me. He's middle aged and about 5'10. He's got brown hair, dark blue eyes and a hairline that looks as though it's been receding for quite some time. I'd put him at about 55, give or take a few years. He's got a crooked nose, but his clothes and shoes are nice.

I see two young children behind him, a teenage boy and slightly younger teenage girl. A plump older woman with auburn hair shoes them away, herding them downstairs. "You're just a kid. What made you so desperate as to do this?" The words strike me as painfully true. What we're doing is wrong. But we can't let them take Iggy.

"My cousin was kidnapped. We have no food, and no money. We just needed a place to stay. Look around, we didn't steal anything except some food, clothing and hair dye. I just want to get my cousin back. Please sir, just let me leave." My voice sounds desperate; I really don't want to end up as a blood stain on the carpet. And I can't let Iggy down.

"We?" Oh crap, I gave away Fang and Nudge. Real smooth Max. "Yes, there are three of us, but the other two are outside, they left, but I came in here to grab our supplies." My voice is even, there isn't even a quiver of fear, and I'm darn proud of that, considering he's pointing a gun at me.

"Look here little missy, I'm sorry about your cousin, but breaking into other people's homes and stealing isn't the way to go. Why haven't you contacted the police?" I can see sympathy in his eyes; it's obvious he lost a loved one in a similar circumstance.

"Please sir, I can't explain everything, but I'm asking that you let me go so I can save him." My voice is firm, but inside I'm anything but. I'm terrified, what if he pulls that trigger? Then what? I guess it would pretty much be bye-bye Max! He lowers the gun.

"Miss, I'm letting you go. Go save your cousin and try not to get yourself killed. But there are other ways to get what you need." I nod, grateful that I didn't just die. I open the window and pop the screen out, then look back at him. "Thank you." I leap out into the night, unfurling my wings and soaring down onto the grass. I toss Nudge and Fang their backpacks.

"What took you so long?" I quickly explain what happened. "He let me go. Now, are we going to save Iggy or not?" They nod, and we leap into the air, gaining altitude and soaring through the air. I feel my new short hair whip against my face. It may be shorter, but it's no less annoying. Next time we stop, I'm getting some hair bows.

We fly for a long time, and end up somewhere in Arizona. We hit the nearest town, and land in the woods outside it. We make out way to a small park and sit down on a bench.

Its mid afternoon and we're starving, so food is our number one priority right now. Hey, a mutant bird kid's got to eat right? That's rhetorical; don't answer unless you want to be laughed at. We grab some food from our backpacks, and that's when we spot the Erasers. They almost look like normal guys until they morph into wolf freaks. Then it's kind of obvious that they aren't just average people.

We hastily stuff our food into our backpacks, while trying to look nonchalant. It doesn't work out well. The Erasers haven't spotted us yet. We head into the woods nearby, and run until we find a meadow. Its small, but we can take off from here. We hear a gunshot and we snap out our wings, adrenalin pumping through our veins.

We hear another and as we are about to leap into the sky, an Eraser leaps from the woods onto Nudge, who screams. I close my wings and kick it in the head. Erasers pour out of the woods, there are at least ten. I run towards the nearest one, then do a flying kick at that hits him square in the chest, and he drops.

I turn to my right, and see a familiar face. Ari. An Eraser stands between Ari and I, and he's fully morphed. He lunges at me, and a leap back. I punch him in the solar plexus and he doubles over.

For those of you who don't know what that is or how bad it hurts, have someone hit you slightly below your ribcage. But I'd recommend that you ask them not to hit you hard. It hurts like the devil when you get hit there and it knocks the air from your lungs.

The Eraser doubles over and I bring my knee up and hear a satisfying *crunch* as it connects with his face. He drops, and so do I as an Eraser hit's me from behind. I roll onto my back and roll up to my feet.

For all you people who are saying, 'why didn't she jump up like they do in the movies?' There's a reason you only see that stuff in movies you know. And if that isn't enough, then why don't you try it?

I punch hit him in the shoulder, but it's a glancing blow. He snarls and leaps at me, claws aiming for my face. I grab one arm and step out of the way, and he crashes into the ground, getting a face full of dirt and grass. I twist his arm behind him and push, hearing a pop and a whimper of pain. I just dislocated his shoulder, but I'm not done yet. I shove down on it and hear a snap and a cry of agony. I flip him oven and punch him in the jaw, then hear a cry of pain coming from Nudge.

I turn and see an Eraser holding her. I start towards her, but Fang gets there first. He punches the Eraser viciously in the mouth, and he instantly lets go of Nudge, who turns and kicks him where it hurts. That's my girl. The Eraser falls down, and I turn towards Ari.

He has a gun. He steps towards me. "Now Max, does it really have to be like this?" His voice isn't like the voice of the innocent little kid he used to be. No, it's the voice of a monster. He points the gun at me. Then turns and points it at Nudge.

"Max, come with me and no one gets hurt." Never! My mind screams, but he would shoot Nudge without a second thought, and I can't let him do that. Then Fang comes out of nowhere and hits Ari with a vicious uppercut to the jaw from his left side. Ari staggers and a grunt of pain escapes him.

Then he pulls the trigger, and I hear Nudge scream. Ari spits some blood onto the ground and turns towards Fang, an insane smile twisting his face. He points the gun at Fang and I run towards him, grabbing his arm and kneeing his elbow, breaking his arm. I look at Fang, and we run to Nudge.

She's lying on the ground, eyes closed tightly. Fang picks her up gently, and we see where the bullet hit her. It hit her shoulder and her wing. Oh no. She grits her teeth, trying hard not to cry. The bullet went clean through her, and there's no way she's going to be flying any time soon.

I hear laughter, and turn to see Ari standing, his arm dangling uselessly at his side. I run towards him and punch him in the face as hard as I can, and hear his nose break. He's on the ground, and I start hitting him. Blood trickles from his mouth, and Fang drags me off him. I scream curses at him.

I yell at him. I yell at him for Iggy, and for Nudge. I yell and scream and try to hurt him. It's his fault! He rescued us and now he's trying to take us back! I try to get away from Fang, it's not fair! Why can't they just leave us alone! No, instead they have to kidnap Iggy and SHOOT Nudge! I scream at the unfairness of it all, and tears blur my vision.

"Max, think about Nudge, we need to help her right now." Fang's right. I wipe my tears and push back my anger. I save both for when I need them, because right now is not a good time. Fang lets me go and we go get Nudge. He helps her up, because we can't carry her without it hurting her. We start walking back towards town, and right then it decides to rain. Perfect.

About fifteen minutes later we see a small house. It's all by itself, but near a school. We go towards it. I hate to admit it, but we can't help Nudge. I gather my courage and knock on the door. A woman opens the door. She has brown hair that reminds me vaguely of my own before I dyed it.

"Yes? How can I help you?" I take a deep breath, and start talking, knowing that I'll regret every word later. "My friend's been shot and we need help." Her eyes widen and she motions for us to come in. We cautiously enter and Nudge sits down on a couch.

"My name is Dr. Martinez. I might be able to help you, I'm a vet." Oh isn't that appropriate? Nudge looks at me, and I bite my lip, and then nod. "Dr. Martinez…" Nudge trails off. Dr. Martinez looks at Nudge, and her eyes widen even further as she opens her wings. Nudge cries out in pain as she extends her left wing, and there's an ugly hole in it.

"Oh my god!" Dr. Martinez rushes over to her, examining the wing. She looks at Nudge. "Sweetie, I'm going to take you to my lab. I can help you there." Nudge nods and stands up, closing her wings. She grabs some keys and we get into her car. She drives us to her lab and we get out. She opens the door, quickly explaining to us that she owns it. She gives Nudge a jacket to cover up the wound, saying that it would be hard to explain.

She takes us in and I run my fingers through my hair and wipe the blood off my face and arms. Dr. Martinez leads us through the building and into a plain white room in the back. She gently lays Nudge down on a plain metal table. Nudge looks frightened, this place is like the school. I nod encouragingly at her, and she takes a deep breath.

"Can you please wait outside?" Dr. Martinez looks at us seriously, and I find myself nodding. Fang and I step outside and sit down on a convenient little bench. I look up at him, and our eyes meet. A thousand thoughts go through my head, and I can tell that nearly as many are going through his head as well.

"Thank you." That's all I can say. "For what?" The only sign that he's confused is his voice. His dark eyes stare into mine. I take a deep breath.

"For not letting me lose myself back there. For being here. For helping Nudge. For helping me get Iggy back. For everything." I mean every word. I'm so grateful he's here. I couldn't do this without him. He half smiles.

"You really think that any of this would have happened without you? Without you, most of what we did wouldn't have worked or even happened. Max, I should be thanking you." His voice is quiet, but I hear every word crystal clear. Despite his words, I feel as though I've messed up.

I open my mouth to speak and he cuts me off with a brief kiss that makes my heart soar. I smile, I can't help it. I hear the door open just as I'm about to say something and I leap to my feet. Nudge is standing there, her shoulder heavily bandaged.

"Max, Fang, Dr. Martinez said that I'm not going to be flying for at least three weeks, and that's factoring in my rapid healing." She looks at the two of us, expression grim. Darn, that crashed my happy mood.

"But guess what? She said we can stay with her while I get better, and that she has a daughter our age named Ella! Can you believe it? We're going to have a home! It's temporary, but we're going to have a home! I'm so excited!" That's Nudge for you, grim and sad one second, and a live wire the next.

Dr. Martinez leaves the lab. "So I take it Nudge told you about my offer? So, will you stay with me while she gets better?" I nod. What else can I do? Our options are limited! Dr. Martinez smiles, and Nudge practically explodes with joy. She doesn't stop talking once as we ride home with Dr. Martinez. Well, she never stops talking anyways, so it's not a big change.

We get to her house and lucky for us, Dr. Martinez has two guest rooms. Nudge and I share one while Fang takes the other. I change into some clothes Dr. Martinez said I could use and lay down. I lay awake for about ten minutes, thinking. But then sleep claims me. It's a dreamless sleep, thank goodness.

**You know what's sad? I've had lots of views, but only 14 reviews. If you don't see a small problem with that, you aren't looking very hard! I likey the reviews and I don't have nearly enough of them in my opinion. So review please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**OMG! Thanks so much for the reviews! You guys rock! Sorry it took me so long to update! The evil, time consuming learning facility generally referred to as 'school' was being its normal, aggravating and time consuming self! Anyways, Fang is away for awhile but, I have Nudge! **

**Nudge: I'm here! I want Iggy back! And I'm sorry, but if I don't get some cute clothes soon I'm going to die! And, I think Fang and Max are an adorable couple! I mean, I always thought that, but they are so cute! I think they should have a Fax moment in this chapter!**

**Me: Nudge, CHILL! And I'll consider giving you an outfit upgrade, and maybe have a Fax moment.**

**Nudge: Don't you readers love me?! I get you all Fax moments! Ok, so, who do you guys like more? Me or Fang? Tell Goddess in a review and then we'll see who you all like more! Please pick me! He's so aggravating! Anyways, Goddess of the Books owns nothing, nada, zip!**

**Me: Somebody help me…**

**I Need To Learn When Not To Speak**

**Max P.O.V.**

I change into some clothes Dr. Martinez said I could use and lay down. I lay awake for about ten minutes, thinking. But then sleep claims me. It's a dreamless sleep, thank goodness.

I slept until about ten before the smell of bacon pulled me from my sleep. BACON! I get up and quickly change into a plain blue v-neck t-shirt and some shorts that come to my mid-thigh. I run a brush through my hair and brush my teeth before rushing to the kitchen and hopping into a seat next to Nudge; Fang is nowhere to be seen. I feel warm breath on my neck and leap a solid foot in the air, slamming my legs into the table.

"FANG!" I turn on him, ready to yell, because that hurt, when I'm met by his mesmerizing obsidian eyes and smirk. I forget what I was going to say, and then after I stand there like an idiot, I remember. Well, it's a little late. I glare at him.

"Would you stop that?" I say, my voice irritated, Fang just smirks again.

"Stop what? Breathing?" That's fang for you, completely aggravating, but you can't imagine life without him. My eyes narrow.

"You know what I mean! It's that silent, sneaky thing you do! Don't do it!" He just picks up the corner of his mouth in a Fang smile. I love that smile. I roll my eyes and sit, waiting for Dr. Martinez to finish making breakfast. Waffles and bacon, breakfast of champions! And bacon just makes everything better!

She hands me a plate, there are two waffles and ten pieces of bacon, I explained our appetites, and she really delivered! I like this lady; maybe she's not that bad, maybe! I'm not saying she's not like, some insane freak; she might still end up being crazy or evil, you never know. But seriously, this bacon rocks! I bite into the waffle and savor the fluffy, delicious taste. It's incredible, this woman can cook!

"Where's Ella?" Nudge asks around a mouthful of strawberry. Strawberry? Where did she get that? I see a bowl of strawberries across the table and snatch a few. But, Nudge has a point, where's Ella? Dr. Martinez raises an eyebrow.

"Ella's at school." I shiver involuntarily at the word, I hate school. Nudge's eye light up at the mere mention of the abominable place. Oh no, here we go. "School? I want to go to school! I love normal school! Not the other kind, but I want to go! Max, I want to go! Can I go? I want to go to school!" After what she's been through, I don't understand why she'd even want to go! And it's a bad idea, I'm putting the hammer down.

"Nudge, no. That's a bad idea and we could get caught. I don't want to lose you too." She looks crestfallen, and I feel bad. "But Max! It's just for a little while! Only three weeks! What can happen in three weeks?" She begs, eyes pleading, and I relent. Don't ask me why! I have no idea what I'm thinking! Something's going to happen, but she just got shot and someone I think she likes got kidnapped, I can't just take away everything!

"Fine, but be careful and don't do anything stupid!" She grins and stands up, exited. I'm going to regret this, I'm sure of it! I already forgot why I said yes. Dr. Martinez offers to drive her and they leave, and suddenly, I'm alone with Fang. This might be bad.

"Max, that was incredibly stupid." Wow, blunt much? Way to just throw it out there. I mean, it's not like I wasn't thinking the same thing, but he just said it!

"I know, I don't know what I was thinking! It's just, so much has happened to her and I wanted her to be happy…" I trail off, not really wanting to continue. I know what I was thinking, I'm becoming such a softie, and that's not ok! I'm not supposed to be soft; I'm supposed Max the warrior! Well, there's another plan I botched for the school, which brings a small smile to my increasingly solemn face.

"Max, feeling bad can get us killed or worse, taken back. I don't want to even think about going back, the horror's they'd inflict on us. I don't want to go back." His eyes are hard, but I know that inside, somewhere, there's real fear, and that alone scares me. Fang is the fearless one, and even he is scared to go back.

"Fang, I know! Do you think for a second I want to go back? They did things to us that shouldn't even happen to lab rats or guinea pigs! The whitecoats are monsters, and they have Iggy! I'm not happy about any of this and I hate everything about this situation except the people I'm in it with! Don't bother saying anything because you're Fang, and I already know that you'll just stand there emotionless like you always do and just be Fang!" My voice rises steadily, and ends at a shout.

He stands there silently, unmoving, then takes a step forward and sweeps my into his arms, kissing me. Then he pulls back and stares into my eyes. Wow, I really didn't see that coming, not at all.

"Max, don't think for a single second that I don't care about what you say. I do, and what they do there is terrible and wrong and I don't want to go back. I don't want to take chances, because I don't want to go back to that wretched place. Please just listen. I know that you get where I'm coming from on this, and Nudge deserves some happiness, so I'll go along with this, because I would have done the same thing." I'm just standing here shocked, I mean, what do you say to that? Well, I know what I'd say!

"Thanks." Smooth right? Yeah, not one of my better moments, but I swear my brain isn't working right today. I need some sort of guidance or something, because this happens far too often for my liking. Right on cue, a searing pain explodes in my head and suddenly the ground rushes up to high five my face. I close my eyes, and feel strong arms catch me, Fang.

"Max! Max, are you ok? What's happening? What's wrong?" The words barely register, I'm in lala land and feel like my head is either about to implode or explode, whichever one hurts more, that one! Then I remember some of my life I've forgotten.

_-Flashback-_

_I'm running, faster! I have to go faster! The ground itself seems to attack me. I slow down slightly, despite my desire to run on and escape the pain, I'm only eight, and I can't run any further. I fall, and feel the bite of the electric currents that have been tormenting me for weeks now. But I can't go on, as I feel my consciousness ebbing I notice the pain is gone, replaced by a dull ache. The burning, mind numbing pain is fading, am I dying? Please let me be dying, the threat of death pales in comparison to this. Strong arms envelop me and I smell the disgusting, tangy, clean smell of antiseptic. They pick me up, and I hear voices._

"_It has an exceptionally high endurance, even better than subject two if I do say so myself. But I think that subject two is stronger than subject one." That's all I am to these freaks, a number, an it. I need a name. It needs to be something amazing, I'm the best. Even if I'm not the only one, I will be stronger, smarter, faster, better. I have to be, because I'm subject one; I'm the first, the only, the best. A name can wait, I need sleep. Sleep… my eyes drift shut._

_They shake me, but I don't open my eyes. They carry me somewhere, and then I'm in my crate. I live in a dog crate, that can't be right! But maybe it is, I've never seen the outside world except through the looking glass. The sky is blue and beautiful, but I know I'll never fly in it. They always make me fly inside. I will never feel the wind in my hair, see the land as a bird does, and taste the air._

_Grim determination sets in. I will! I won't stay here forever, because I'm the best, I WILL get out! I won't stop until I do, but I need a plan. I look into the dog crate across from me, and see obsidian eyes, I look closer. It's a boy, about my age. He has shaggy black hair and pale skin, like mine. I've never seen him before, and probably won't ever see him again. That's just how it is._

_My name, I need a name. Something that tells everyone I'm the best. The very best and most amazing! Maximum Ride, that's who I am, that's my name. Maximum means the best or greatest, and that's who I am, the only one, the very first. I'm Maximum Ride. My eyes close again, and sleep claims me._

_-End of Flashback-_

I open my eyes, and see the obsidian eyes from my memory, Fang's eyes. I'm laying on me back on the floor, and it's cold. He picks me up and carries me to my room, laying me down on my bed. I don't protest, because I'm still thinking about what just happened. What just happened? There's a dull ache in my head, but nothing serious. Thank goodness Fang was here, I don't know what I'd do without him.

**You and Fang aren't going to work. **Shut up voice! Wait, voice? No no no, I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy! **No Max, you aren't crazy, you're perfectly sane. **Then why am I hearing a voice in my head that isn't mine? Explain that please! Silence, of course. Thanks a lot Voice. The voice didn't have a gender, or an age, it was simply there.

**Max, you are a warrior. You don't have time for idle fancies. **Excuse me? Fang is not an idle fancy! And who the heck are you anyways?! More silence, wonderful. Well, now I have a useless voice in my head that only tells me dumb opinions! Well, at least I still have my sanity, however long that lasts. At this rate, it won't be long.

"Max, are you all right?" Oh yeah, Fang's still here. I look over at him, and see concern in his eyes. I nod, and he visibly relaxes. He was worried about me. Fang, worried, that's a new one. Well, not really, but this is just the first time he's shown his concern like this.

I hear the front door open, and I tense. But I hear Dr. Martinez and relax, knowing it's just her. I stand up on slightly shaky legs and walk into the kitchen. Dr. Martinez is sitting down massaging her temples. I assume that the Nudge Channel is to blame.

"Nudge is very sweet, but does she ever stop talking?" I smile at that, having thought it many times myself. But I quickly learned that the answer is no, she does not, EVER, stop talking. My knowing smile tells all, and Dr. Martinez just shakes her head, her agitation evident. Then she laughs slightly, but I have no idea why that's even remotely funny. I look over at Fang and see him smiling, wait, Fang's smiling? WOW! That's like, three smiles in one day! A new record for him.

Fang's smile disappears, and replaced with nonchalance. His normal look, I've come to expect it actually. He's expressionless, and it feels as though there's a wall between him and the rest of the world. But sometimes, I can see through that wall, and see the person he is inside. Not Fang, not even Nick, it's someone who cares about us, and would take the bullet for any of us. But no one ever sees that side of him; he keeps it hidden away from the rest of the world.

"Something happened to Max while you were gone." Dr. Martinez looks alarmed. "Dr. Martinez, it was just a headache, I'm fine, I promise. She runs and grabs a flashlight, then examines my eyes. She listens to my heart and does all this other weird, doctory stuff. I think it's completely excessive, I mean really! I'm fine! But I let her do it, because I don't feel like arguing right now. Shocker, right? Wait, now I feel it.

"Dr. Martinez, I'm fine! I promise you, there's nothing wrong with" That's as far as I got. A searing pain erupts in my skull and the floor comes back for round two. But I'm unconscious before I can even register the pain.

**Oh my goodness, that took forever to write! I had writers block, plus school! And I don't care who you are, that's no fun! But, thank you so much for the reviews! I got more than twice the number I normally get! So, if you like having Nudge here with me, please tell me. If you want another flock member, let me know. But Iggy is currently unavailable :( if you want him though, please tell me and I'll get him in!**

**Nudge: But you can vote for me staying! I like being here!**

**If you can name the following song, I'll give you a shout-out! It's hard though!**

_It's like I'm lost_

_It's like I'm giving up slowly_

_It's like you're a ghost that's haunting me_

_Leave me alone_

_And I know these voices in my head_

_Are mine alone_

_And I know I'll never change my ways_

_If I don't give you up now_

**Hit the pretty blue button!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Shout out to**** coaxiecat123! They got the song right; it was Addicted by Kelly Clarkson. Sorry about not updating sooner, but to drop from ten reviews to four is a bit disheartening! Then factor in school, softball and some major drama, yeah, it's tricky to be consistent with only four reviews and all that! But I decided to update in honor of Thanksgiving!**

**Nudge: I'm still here! Thank you for not making me leave! I like being here! It's so nice!**

**Me: shut up Nudge, you know, I miss Fang, because he actually STOPPED TALKING!**

**Nudge: Goddess owns nothing**

**Me: thanks Nudge, I take it back**

**Nudge: :D**

**How To Say Goodbye**

**Max P.O.V.**

_A searing pain erupts in my skull and the floor comes back for round two. But I'm unconscious before I can even register the pain. _Wow, this can't be good, nope, not at all.

_Flashback_

_I stare straight ahead, don't look back! I tell myself, because if I do, I'll feel that searing pain again. But I want to look back! The erasers are chasing me, and I run on. Faster! Further! I tell myself. I'm only 8, I'm too small to fight them, and so I run. Every time I look back, the ground underneath my feet hurts me. It's like the maze, only worse, because there's no way out._

_**Run Max**__, says a voice in my head. Gee, thanks Voice, that's real helpful. I have recently acquired a Voice in my head, but it's only there occasionally. The white coats said that it would go away, but it hasn't yet. Though it has been talking, or, thinking to me less than before. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Right now, I'm thinking its good, because that was some pretty useless advice._

_**Focus Max! Go left! **__I instinctively leap to the left, and then take off running that way. I see a window, if I could only reach it!_

_**You have wings, use them! **__ Genius! I leap into the air and clumsily unfurl my wings. I crash through the window and fall, my wings flapping uselessly. I stop flapping, and then flap them together, creating a rhythm and my descent begins to slow. I see an Eraser point a gun at me, and take what I assume to be my final breath. As he's about to pull the trigger, Jeb tackles him. Jeb just saved my life._

_End of Flashback_

That was the first time I escaped. Jeb was punished severely for letting me live. I was eventually taken back though, and now Iggy's back there. I can't even imagine what they're doing to him. I don't want to imagine. I need to save him! I can't let them hurt him! I sit up, once again finding myself lying in a bed with Fang and Dr. Martinez hovering beside it. They both move to restrain me, and I push them away. Maybe my Voice is right. I care about Fang, but maybe I need to let him go so I can focus on my task.

Speaking of my Voice, I had forgotten about hearing from it as a child because it had been a long time, and I was never one to dwell on the past. My thoughts return to Fang. Could I leave him? It would be hard, but I could. My Voice is right, I am a fighter, but even the greatest of warriors have hearts. So what do I listen to now, my head or my heart?

I'm snatched from my reverie by a sudden thunderous noise. I jump before realizing its only thunder. Wait, where's Nudge?

"Where's Nudge?" Dr. Martinez and Fang exchange glances, and I get the feeling that I won't like the answer to that question.

"She's at a slumber party" Dr. Martinez says tentatively. I feel my blood run cold, and then anger replaces the worry.

"WHAT?!" I leap from the bed. "WHERE IS SHE?!" Fang hands me an address. I round on him.

"What were you thinking letting her go to a slumber party?!" I screech. He looks almost sheepish, so barely even a little by his standards, but that's enough for me.

"She gave me puppy dog eyes." I literally face palm. Of course his weakness is puppy dog eyes. Mr. I'm-so-tough-and-emotionless can't even say no to puppy dog eyes. That is sooo typical. I should have known that something like that would be his weakness. I sigh and leave the house, snapping out my wings and launching myself into the air before anyone can stop me. I underestimated the storm.

As I fly I'm buffeted by strong gusts of wind, and pelted by driving rain. I consider landing, but the knowledge that Nudge could be in danger spurs me on. Wait, why didn't I just have Dr. Martinez drive me there like a normal person? Because I didn't think of it. I need to stop having all these internal dialogues, they just complicate things! I see the house and land outside it. I tuck my wings in and knock on the door. As I knock, it falls off the hinges. No way am I that strong.

I walk inside, and it's ruined. I hear a creak and turn to see an injured girl lying on the floor. She's bleeding from various wounds. I can tell they're fresh just by looking at them. I rush over to her and try to staunch the bleeding. She's clearly terrified, and she's also crying.

"I need you to tell me what happened." I'm not trying to be heartless, but I desperately need to know. The girl takes a few shuddering breaths, and proceeds to tell me everything that happened.

"Some men came to our house, and, and they turned into wolfish things! They attacked us, looking for the new girl!" She bursts into a wave of fresh tears, and I wait until she recovers enough to speak. "They attacked us, and the new girl fought them, but they beat her and took everyone. They said I was going to die, and, and that, that I should tell the girl with wings that, that Nudge and the rest of us are just the beginning." She has a coughing fit, and I know that she won't make it. Tears come to my eyes at the realization, and I hold the girl in my arms.

"I, I really won't make it, will I?" Her voice is filled with sad resignation, and I blink back more tears. I shake my head slowly, and the tears flow down my cheeks. The girl closes her eyes tightly, and then opens them again. I can't let her die without knowing her name.

"What's your name?" I say quietly. She manages to take another shuddering breath.

"My name is, is Maya." When hearing that name, I have a moment of déjà vu, but it goes away as quickly as it came. With a sad look and a final shuddering breath, the light fades from Maya's eyes and they drift shut. It's at that moment; I know that I have to save them. They killed this girl for no reason! I won't let them do something like this ever again to anyone!

"I will avenge you, I swear." I whisper the words. For some reason, I believe saying something out loud to be more binding than simply writing it or thinking it. I will avenge her though; I will bring the school down. **Finally you see the importance of bringing it down, and not simply rescuing people and leaving. **My Voice, right on queue.

"How do I bring it down?" I ask out loud. I'm not really sure why though, since it's in my head… **The company is called Itex. Rescue Nudge and Iggy, and then go get Gazzy and Angel. Together, you can seek out the corporation and bring it to its knees. **Wow, that is by far the most useful information you have ever given me. So, how do we rescue Iggy and Nudge? The voice is silent. Of course it is. I look outside, the rain's let up.

I fly back to Dr. Martinez's house and tell both her and Fang what happened. I leave out the part about Maya, saying instead that they left a note. I'm keeping that to myself. I don't know why, but I just can't bring myself to tell them yet…

Fang and I pack some nonperishable food in a backpack, and some money Dr. Martinez gave us. Then we say our tearful (only on her side) goodbyes and leave. We're headed to California now to free Iggy, Nudge, and every single mutant kid we can. Then we are headed to Itex to bring that wicked place down. Fang and I fly juxtaposed towards the California coast, knowing that we are going to bring Itex down, or die trying.

**Terribly short! I know! Sorry! Again, sorry for the long break! Also, I'm about to start a Lord of the Rings Fanfic! So if you like that sort of thing, please check it out! Now that I'm free on weekends again, I should be able to update more regularly! By the way, Juxtaposed is a fancy word that means side by side!**

**Max: If you like the story, please review!**

**Me: If not, please review! And also, let's try to get back up to ten reviews per chapter! Cyber cookies for all who review!**


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